e–Caisse Login

Tips for Students – Living On The Cheap

1. Compare offers from different companies.
2. Sign up for a Student Plan or your parent’s Family Plan.
3. Put alerts on your phone to tell you when you’re approaching your data usage limit.
4. Avoid roaming charges by turning off your phone when traveling
1. At the beginning of every season take an inventory of your clothes and use one or several of the strategies below to save money on clothes:
a. Sell the clothes that you no longer want in a consignment boutique
or online (kijiji or ebay)
b. Set up a clothing swap with your friends.
c. Donate your clothes to a store or charity that offers coupons or points in exchange (ex: Value Village)
2. Buy the clothes you need only when it is on sale.
3. Ask if the store offers student discounts.
4. Buy clothes that are machine washable and don’t need to be dry-cleaned.
5. Organize your laundry to do the least amount of loads as possible, to save money at coin-operated machines or to save on the water bill.
1. Sign up for free loyalty or membership cards at stores and restaurants; they will send you coupons several times a year and you usually receive something free on your birthday.
2. Sign up for bulk coupons sites – remember to only buy the ones that you’ll really use
1. Make sure you pay the balance of your credit card in full every month to avoid paying interest.
a. The interest rate on credit cards is around 20% per year.
b. The interest is payable from the date of the purchase and not as of the payment due date; meaning your purchase can become extremely expensive if you don’t pay your balance when you get your bill.
2. Don’t use your card for everyday purchases like coffee or snacks; these little amounts add up quickly!
3. Know the details of your credit card (ex: interest rate, fees, features, etc.) and compare other credit cards to find the best credit card for you.
4. Cancel all the credit cards that you don’t need; less cards means less temptation to spend.
5. Bring your credit card with you only when you plan to use it; this will help you avoid impulse buying.
6. If you cannot pay the full balance of your credit card by the due date, talk to a Personal Financial Officer at Caisse Financial Group as quickly as possible to find a solution to save interest costs and protect your credit rating.
1. Figure out how much you want to spend on entertainment and pay for it in cash.
2. Leave your debit and credit cards at home so that you are not tempted to over spend.
3. Look up free events that are going on in your city online or in the newspapers (ex: concerts, museums, jazz nights, tours, festivals, etc.).
4. Look for deals:
a. Is there a student discount?
b. Is it cheaper if you buy in advance?
c. Is there a group discount?
d. Is it cheaper if you buy online?
5. Share a taxi with a friend or carpool to save on costs (gas, parking, etc.).
6. Instead of going out to a restaurant, invite your friends over for a potluck. It’s cheaper and you usually get the leftovers!
1. Bring your coffee in a travel mug; one coffee per day costs over $730 a year.
2. Bring a reusable water bottle that you can fill at school.
3. Bring your lunch and snacks for breaks between classes; saving $5 a day on food, means you’re saving $1,300 a year!
4. Eat at restaurants that offer student discounts or use coupons (Find them online, in student handbooks, in the mail etc.).
5. Ask the server to box up any food that you have not finished and bring it home.
6. When grocery shopping, look for the best deals by looking through flyers and using coupons.
7. Only go grocery shopping once a week; less trips to the store means less chances that you will make impulse purchases or buy products that you don’t really need.
1. Pay yourself first! Save 10% of everything you earn, put it in your Student Savings Account and don’t touch it! Small amounts add up quickly!
2. If you’re saving up for something, learn to spend less. Be ready to make sacrifices.
3. Keep track of the money you owe (ex: bills, credit cards, loans, etc.).
4. Review your banking and credit card statements monthly to make sure they are correct.
5. Set financial goals and check your progress regularly.
6. Make a budget; input your fixed monthly expenses first and then use the available funds for your discretionary expenses.
7. Use your funds only for the expenses you identified in your budget.
8. Learn to prioritize between a “need” and a “want”.
9. Use free services like Skype to communicate with your friends and family.
10. Always ask if businesses offer student rates and keep your student card with you at all times as proof of eligibility.
1. Buy all your personal care products at the lowest price in department stores (ex: Walmart, Superstore, Target, etc.).
2. Look for sales and coupons for the products you use.
3. Only buy products that you already use or that you will use; taking a chance on unknown products that are on sale may be a bigger waste of money than a savings.
4. As much as possible, buy generic brand products and avoid the higher price for brand name products.
5. Ask for free samples whenever possible.
1. Research the cheapest rent possible:
a. Rent a house with a friend
b. Rent a room in a house
c. Rent a basement apartment
d. Share an apartment with friends or other students
If you save $50 in rent per month, that represents a savings of $600 a year!
2. When possible, live with your parents rent-free or at low rent for as long as possible. If your parents don’t charge you rent, save an equivalent amount in your Student Savings Account.
1. Open a Student Account with free unlimited transactions at Caisse Financial Group.
2. Only make withdrawals at ATMs that are included in your free unlimited transactions.
1. Once you know what text books you need for your classes, get the best prices by buying used textbooks online or advertised on your school’s bulletin boards.
2. Use resources available at the library as much as possible.
1. Buy a monthly student bus pass instead of a weekly pass or individual tickets. Sometimes, bus passes are part of your tuition fees.
2. Use free modes of transportation like walking or biking
c. Free bus (“Downtown Spirit”, UPass )
3. When you need, borrow a car from your parents or your friends.
4. Calculate all your car expenses. If the expenses for your car are a huge part of your budget, find ways to lower the costs or to live without a car.
a. Buy a used car that costs less to operate and maintain
b. Find the lowest cost insurance that meets all your essential needs
c. Be conscious of gas prices and avoid filling up when there is a price hike (ex: right before a long weekend)
d. Share costs with your passengers to reduce costs (gas, parking, etc.)
1. Research the cost of travel, packages etc. and see if there are any student discounts.
2. Research hotels and youth hostels for the best price. If you can, stay with a friend or family member.
3. Before your trip, make a list of all your expenses; this will help you gauge how much money you’ll need for your trip.
4. Determine how much money you’ll need to save every week, every two weeks or every month in advance of your trip, instead of charging it to your credit card.
5. Only pay for your trip with your credit card if you can pay the balance in full by the due date.
6. While on your trip, find any and all ways to reduce costs, such as:
a. Food: eat at cheap restaurants or ones that offer a student discount
b. Clothing: bring all the clothes you think you’ll need
c. Purchases: only buy things that you budgeted for (ex: clothing, presents, souvenirs)